William Arthur Ward Quotations

Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.

Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.

A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life.

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” —

Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.

Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk.

Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have.

Lose yourself in generous service and every day can be a most unusual day, a triumphant day, an abundantly rewarding day!

Humanity either makes, or breeds, or tolerates all its afflictions.

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.

It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses.

To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

The more generous we are, the more joyous we become. The more cooperative we are, the more valuable we become. The more enthusiastic we are, the more productive we become. The more serving we are, the more prosperous we become.

Wise are those who learn that the bottom line doesn't always have to be their top priority.

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.

A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.

Wise are they who have learned these truths: Trouble is temporary. Time is tonic. Tribulation is a test tube.

We can learn much from wise words, little from wisecracks, and less from wise guys.

Fools act on imagination without knowledge. Pedants act on knowledge without imagination.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you?'

Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give.

Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.

The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of like is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give.

Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering a room others by leaving the room. Some individuals leave trails of gloom; others, trails of joy. Some leave trails of hate and bitterness; others, trails of love and harmony. Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism; others trails of faith and optimism. Some leave trails of criticism and resignation; others trails of gratitude and hope. What kind of trails do you leave?

Blessed is the person who sees the need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.

The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain - he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem--he is challenged by it. Mountains are created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be defeated; problems are sent to be solved. It is better to master one mountain than a thousand foothills.

A Winner's Blueprint for Achievement BELIEVE while others are doubting. PLAN while others are playing. STUDY while others are sleeping. DECIDE while others are delaying. PREPARE while others are daydreaming. BEGIN while others are procrastinating. WORK while others are wishing. SAVE while others are wasting. LISTEN while others are talking. SMILE while others are frowning. COMMEND while others are criticizing. PERSIST while others are quitting.

Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.

Each of us will one day be judged by our standard of life, not by our standard of living; by our measure of giving, not by our measure of wealth; by our simple goodness, not by our seeming greatness.

A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strenghs; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.

Three enemies of personal peace: regret over yesterday’s mistakes, anxiety over tomorrow’s problems, and ingratitude for today’s blessings.

Real optimism sees the negatives but accentuates the positive.

Our words reveal our thoughts; our manners mirror our self-esteem; our actions reflect our character; our habits predict the future.

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you?'

Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change.

What you believe is more important than what you possess. What you live is more lasting than what you profess. Whom you inspire is more significant than whom you impress.

Love is more than a noun-it is a verb; it is more than a feeling-it is caring, sharing, helping, sacrificing.

Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.

A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful.

Will someone else's life be brighter tomorrow, because of what you have done today?

Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently.

Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.

The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.

The optimist pleasantly ponders how high his kite will fly; the pessimist woefully wonders how soon his kite will fall.

There is one thing we can do better than anyone else: we can be ourselves.

Failure is delay, but not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead-end street.

I have the opportunity, once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant some trees, and sing more joyful songs.

Opportunity is often difficult to recognize; we usually expect it to beckon us with beepers and billboards.

Today's patience can transform yesterday's discouragements into tomorrow's discoveries. Today's purposes can turn yesterday's defeats into tomorrow's determination.

We can choose to throw stones, to stumble on them, to climb over them, or to build with them.

Men never plan to be failures; they simply fail to plan to be successful

TODAY can be a healthy unusual day for you-and for others-if you take time to give someone a smile . . . to express a word of kindness . . . to lend a helping hand to someone in need . . . ..to write a note of gratitude . . . to give a word of encouragement to someone who is temporarily overcome with problems . . . to share a portion of your material possessions with others.

Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.

Real optimism is aware of problems but recognizes the solutions, knows about difficulties but believes they can be overcome, sees the negatives but accentuates the positives, is exposed to the worst but expects the best, has reason to complain but chooses to smile.

Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become reckless and uncontrollable torrents of destruction when released without caution and wisdom.

Everyone has a common, yet unique, responsibility to the future: to make the most of today.

A success is one who decided to succeed and worked. A failure is one who decided to succeed and wished.

Do more than believe: practice.

Real optimism is aware of problems but recognizes the solutions.

To bear defeat with dignity, to accept criticism with poise, to receive honors with humility - these are marks of maturity and graciousness.

Three keys to more abundant living: caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others.

Another fresh new year is here . . . Another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, To love and laugh and give! This bright new year is given me To live each day with zest . . . To daily grow and try to be My highest and my best! I have the opportunity Once more to right some wrongs, To pray for peace, to plant a tree, And sing more joyful songs!

Excellence without effort is as futile as progress without preparation.

Failure is not fatal. Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. It should challenge us to new heights of accomplishments, not pull us to new depths of despair. From honest failure can come valuable experience.

Faith is knowing there is an ocean because you have seen a brook.

Giving is more than a responsibility-it is a privilege; more than an act of obedience-it is evidence of our faith.

The more we count the blessings we have, the less we crave the luxuries we haven't.

Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future,challenge the improbable and attain the impossible

Before you speak, listen.

We are most like beasts when we kill. We are most like men when we judge. We are most like God when we forgive.

We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn. We must learn before we can prepare. We must prepare before we can serve. We must serve before we can lead.

Leadership is a serving relationship that has the effect of facilitating human development

The winner asks, "May I help?" The loser asks, "Do you expect me to do that?"

A complaining tongue reveals an ungrateful heart.

Freedom's enemies are waste, lethargy, indifference, immorality, and the insidious attitude of something for nothing.

Real and lasting generosity requires that a person do more than make up his mind to give. He must also make up his heart.

Empathy feels these thoughts; your hurt is in my heart, your loss is in my prayers, your sorrow is in my soul, and your tears are in my eyes.

Commend while others are criticizing, persist while others are quitting

A second-class is a first-class mistake.

Success never resides in the world of weak wishes, but in the palace of purposeful plans and prayerful persistence.

The greatest failure is the failure to try.

A life lived without forgiveness is a prison.

We can be resentful of our age, or we can be grateful for having attained it.

Friendship flourishes at the fountain of forgiveness.

We are more than what we do... much more than what we accomplish... far more than what we possess.

The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision.

The more patient we are, the more understanding we become.

Do more than dream. Work.

Optimism is a seed sown in the soil of faith; pessimism is a seed hoarded in the vault of doubt.

America needs fewer men obsessed with erecting fences of hate, suspicion and name calling.

Enthusiasm is the match that lights the candle of achievement.

To the optimist all doors have handles and hinges; to the pessimist, all doors have locks and latches.